


How To Have Your Heart Won By Darren Criss

by hestherewithme



Series: Collection of Random Crisscolfer Drabbles. [5]
Category: Glee, Glee RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 16:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1751522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hestherewithme/pseuds/hestherewithme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to 'The Trials to Win Chris Colfer's Heart'</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Have Your Heart Won By Darren Criss

Their afternoon date was great. Better than great. And so did the afternoon after that. And the one after that. And the phone calls on those evenings. And the e-mails. And the notes in class.

Chris felt as if he was on cloud ten - Darren’s term for it - which Chris couldn’t help but use. He was currently dating Darren Criss. 

 

He didn’t think he would get a chance at a relationship while living in Clovis. He didn’t even think far enough till college dating. His only goal was to get out of this town. And now he couldn’t believe he was worrying about something as pointless as how he looked. 

But having a boyfriend apparently called for a change in priorities. And right now his top priority was getting ready in time before Darren came to pick him up. Because they were dating now. Chris had to remind himself daily that he was not in a self-induced coma since his last dentist appointment. 

He’d washed product out of his hair for the fourth time since midday while he was getting ready. Right now it was dried up yet again and he was combing through it when he heard a knock at the door. 

“Mom. For the last time, I appreciate your help but I do not want to borrow your blowdryer. I’m fi-“ he stopped himself as he saw who was actually at the doorway. 

Chris had a theory about Darren. Whenever he saw Darren, Chris was exceedingly sure the guy looked more handsome than he did the previous day. Until now his theory hadn’t been disproved. Not in the slightest, but the value at which Darren was increasing his beauty seemed to be exponential.  _‘God, I’m such a fucking nerd.’_ Chris thought. 

_“_ Hi.” Darren waved shyly. This was his first time in Chris’ bedroom, and a blush seemed to appearing on his cheeks. ‘ _Good. At least I’m not the only one who’s nervous._ ’

Chris smiled in response and motioned for him to come inside. 

“You look amazing.” Darren commented as if he didn’t realize what type of effect those words had on Chris.

“You too.” Chris replied without hesitation. Chris noticed how at ease both of them suddenly were in each other’s presence, and he loved it, loved the way they made each other comfortable  without doing much. 

“You worried?” Darren asked. 

Chris couldn’t describe just how afraid he was. Just how much he didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to go to this prom. He didn’t want to be surrounded by people he despised. It was the last thing he wanted. But how could he ever tell Darren that. The boy who had tried so hard to get his attention, the boy who in the span of a few weeks had already found his way into Chris’ heart. How could he let him down like that.

“Yeah.” Chris breathed out, “it’ll be fine.”

“I have a feeling it’s gonna be fantastic.” Darren said, beaming with over-confidence.

Chris envied his optimism, and just hoped nothing would happen tonight that could dampen the spirit Darren embodied. 

After customary pictures on the staircase and in front of Darren’s car, with promises of giving a copy of the photo-shoot to Darren’s parents, the couple finally were on the road. The drive was relatively quiet in Chris’ opinion, and his prom date must have noticed something was wrong because he pulled onto the side of someone’s driveway and turned off the car. 

“Darren?” Chris asked apprehensively. 

“Are you sure you want to go to the dance?”

“Yeah. I really want to-“

“Chris, please. I don’t know what it is, but I can just  _tell_ you don’t want to do this. And don’t feel like you need to say yes, because it would suck if you were just feeling sorry for me or something. You really don’t have to.” 

Darren’s expression was heartbreaking enough for Chris to promise himself that he could never allow that look to appear on Darren’s face again. Ever. No, he’d feel less guilty if he’d kicked a puppy. 

“Darren. No. It’s not like that. You… You have no idea how much I want to spend tonight with you. Ever since you talked to me I felt this newfound energy inside me. Like you ignited it. And it was there, it just needed a spark. And you gave that. So no, I do not feel “sorry” for you. Don’t you dare think that. It’s just that I don’t think I can do this. I feel like I can’t go to that school, or that dance, and have today, this memory, be ruined by that nightmare. But I might be able to do this with you. I am ready for that.” 

Darren’s stare was so intense, Chris wondered if he had even understood what he had said. Without a moments passing he felt a strong pressure on his lips and soft hands on either side of his face. When his brain caught up with his conscious thought, it sent a message to Chris. 

‘ _He’s kissing you. And it could benefit both of you greatly if you kissed him back”._

Chris complied to his mind’s request,and after what seemed like the shortest eternity to him, he pulled back, breathing heavily. 

“Was that okay?” Darren asked, licking his lips. Which he really should have realized was incredibly distracting for Chris. 

“Yes. I don’t even know whether you’re talking about my acceptance of the action or how well it was done, but my answer to both is still yes.” 

Darren chuckled and rhetorically asked, “How are you even real?”

Chris sat very still in his seat, thinking about the fact that he had just made out with another boy, in a car, on someone’s driveway, in Clovis of all place’s. Wow.

“Okay. That’s it. ” Darren said.

“What is it?”

“Just trust me.” he replied, starting the car once again. 

About ten minutes later Chris noticed how they just drove by the school, where the dance was taking place.

“Um Darren, we missed our exit.”

“Not going there.” he said bluntly. “If you don’t want to go there, and I don’t want to go there. There’s not much of a point spending time somewhere we both are going to be unhappy.”

“But. Prom. That was the whole reason you even asked me out.”

“Chris. For someone so intelligent, I’m surprised you haven’t figured out what’s clearly important to me. Now I arranged for a back-up plan, just in case of what just occurred.”

“What?”

“Just wait and see.”

Half an hour later they pulled up to what looked like a gallery or a museum. 

Chris raised his eyebrow but was sure Darren had a good explanation for this. 

“Before you say anything, just hear me out. I’ll tell you what’s in there. And if you don’t like the sound of it we can go back to the school, or I can drop you home. Whatever you’d like.”

“Okay.” 

“So. Hanging out with you these past couple of weeks I picked up on a few things you liked. And then by chance I stumbled onto a pamphlet advertising this event. So in Britain they have this thing called the ‘ _Royal Variety Performance’_ where there’s entertainment, singing, and dancing right? So these people at the museum here wanted to do that.They’ll be people pretending to be royalty.  And there’s probably refreshments. So I got thinking that it could be kind of like prom. I mean we could dance, since nobody knows us here. I got us tickets, so we could eat. And the impersonators of the royal family are gonna be sitting there for photo ops so that could be the prom picture, and judging by the look on your face you seem happy.”

Chris sat there biting his lip in excitement, his dimples prominently displaying his elation. 

“Can we go inside?” he said practically bouncing in his seat. 

“Yes.” Darren replied, relief evident on his face. Chris couldn’t believe that his date actually thought he would turn down this offer. 

They walked through the door, hearing laughter and music radiating from inside. In the main hall, the dance floor was crowded with individuals clearly having a good time. Without a care in the world, just how Chris wanted this night to be. 

“Do you want something to drink?” Darren prompted, pointing out that they were next to the refreshments, far enough from the music to hear each other. 

“Yeah, sure. Thank you.” he said, accepting the glass of what appeared to be juice. Darren was such a goody-two-shoes, thankfully. “Did you know they used to air this event on television in the United Kingdom. The first performance was in 1912. At the time of George the Fifth. And then in 60’s it got televised and now I should probably stop talking because I’m boring the hell out of you. Sorry.”

“Boring me? Impossible. The reason I brought you here is because I enjoy how incredible you are when you go on about your history facts. Face it Christopher, intelligence is sexy.” 

Chris nearly choked on his drink after hearing the compliment, and Darren’s smirk could only mean one thing. He was flustered and Darren knew it. 

After being spurred on to give a few more details about the original occasion, Chris brazenly asked Darren to dance. The smile Darren returned was bright enough to put that chandelier above out of a job. 

As they headed to the dance floor, they ended up talking again. But Darren lead the conversation this time, geared up with his own facts. “You know what was amazing. The people that used to perform in this event throughout the years. Like Sammy Davis Jr., Sinatra, The Seekers, The Beatles. It’s amazing.” 

Chris nodded. Darren would obviously be interested in that aspect. He wondered where he would end up. If Darren knew how far his talent would take him. He had aspirations. Everyone did. But Darren was different. Darren would make something out of himself. 

Chris’ thoughts were interrupted as Darren pulled him closer. His confusion disappeared as he heard the song. Which was much slower. Which is why Darren was standing so close. He didn’t actually know how this would work, as he’d never actually slow-danced. Or ever seen two men slow-dance. 

Darren probably saw what was going though his mind right now, because he whispered, “It’s okay. It’s my first time doing this as well. Follow what I do, and if you feel silly at any point, we’ll just wade off to the side. Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Darren put his own hand’s on Chris’ waist and Chris copied his action, trying to sway to the beat. They probably looked like the most awkward pair dancing in the crowd, but Chris couldn’t care less. They were happy, they were enjoying themselves. And Chris was sure they would have time to perfect this one day. 

As the dance ended, Darren dragged him to the line where you could get a picture with the ‘royal family’, who looked nothing like the originals but Chris thought it was a good effort. They took a serious one, and a few goofy ones, even managing to make the ‘Queen’ laugh. Darren said he was putting that down on his resume. They were promised the pictures would be mailed to them privately, and were thanked for their support. 

The event seemed to be ending soon, and Chris took that as a cue that they should get going. It couldn’t last forever, as much as he wanted the alternative. The drive back to Chris’ house was just an hour of them singing duets. 

And much to Chris’ delight, he and Darren sounded incredible together. He might just sing a little more often now, if this was how happy it made him. They stopped outside his driveway, Darren getting him home 10 minutes before his curfew. He glanced over at Chris, looking breathtaking as usual. He could have not laid an eye on Darren tonight yet still hold that statement as absolute truth. 

“So this is the point where it gets really cheesy, right?” Chris commented. 

“Well. Yeah. It could. I could kiss you right here, or I could walk you up to your door and kiss you there as well. I’ll be as cheesy as you’d like. Unless you don’t want to kiss at all, which is perfectly fine as well because what I did before was just the time and…” Darren trailed of as Chris leaned closer and brought their lips together. 

His arms trembled holding his own weight on the console between their seats, and as tired as they were getting, he really didn't want to stop kissing him. Darren was the one to end it this time, and breathed out “Wow.”

Chris smiled and gave his thanks to Darren for the incredible evening he recived, and as got out of the car he signaled that Darren head home now, and that they’d talk soon.

Darren drove off, and Chris walked in through the front door, seeing his parents still awake and watching some old film on cable. 

“How was the dance, sweetheart?” his mom asked from where she sat. 

“It was amazing. Really unexpected.”

“So you boys didn’t run into any trouble?” his father questioned. 

“No. It was perfectly fine.”

“Well I am glad you enjoyed yourself. You deserve something like this before you both head off to college.”

Chris was then hit with the idea that they were both in highschool. And yeah they still had a year together before they would graduate, but then what? He knew the chances of a high school fling lasting were low. But he and Darren were much more than that. He knew it. Screw the statistics. He and Darren were much more than a probability. 

They were a young, driven, intelligent, gay couple surviving in Clovis of all places. They had beaten quite a few odds already. As he got ready for bed, he let the thoughts of all they could achieve together overtake him. Before falling asleep, he had a habit of visualizing his future, imagining all the places he would visit, the goals he would accomplish, the people he’d meet and the books he’d write .

And now, although he considered himself incredibly naive for hoping so. He wanted Darren included in those dreams, in any capacity. And being a person of unshakable determination, Chris was positive he’d make that happen. 


End file.
